


Left Behind

by GingerEnvy



Category: Captain America (Movies), Hawkeye (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Deaf Character, M/M, mentions of abuse, winterhawk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-09 17:30:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5549210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerEnvy/pseuds/GingerEnvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Classic brother's best friend goes off to war, talks to the younger sibling via letters while off at war and comes back to a grown up sibling and wow man.<br/>Part of the big brother played by Steve Rogers, and the best friend is Bucky Barnes, the younger sibling is Clint Barton. Now showing in your local theaters.</p><p>Based off a tumblr prompt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Left Behind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AvaKelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvaKelly/gifts), [adamsgirl42 (eddiessofa)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eddiessofa/gifts).



> _For AvaKelly because it’s totally your fault. The ‘big brother’s best friend goes off to war and comes back to a very sexy grown up little sibling’ AU from that reblog._
> 
> _And for adamsgirl42 for posting said prompt and thus instigating all of the feels! ;P_

 

“Steeeveee!” the young voice rang through the house excitedly, making one teenager flinch and another smile.

“Steve, come on,” the first fourteen year old said, hoping to at least get a closed door, maybe to deter the excited child flying through the house headed their way.

“Buck, he’s my little brother, come on,” the blond replied, the last words a drawl, and a look added on telling his best friend to deal.

“He’s your _half_ brother Steve, and he’s annoying,” the brunet teenager replied back, returning the look.

“He’s nine, of course he’s annoying. You were annoying at that age,” Steve replied with a grin.

“You’re so funny Rogers,” Bucky grunted and flipped him off, Steve laughed and covered his hand just as another blond boy who was significantly smaller than the teenagers came crashing into the room, needless to say he had a big presence.

“Hi Steve!” Clint said, grinning as big as his face allowed, the gap tooth obvious but cute, according to his mother, the smile dimmed just a little when he saw Bucky but he attached himself to his brother regardless, “Hi Bucky...”

“Hey Clint, how was school?” Steve asked while Bucky made an effort to actually be nice to the kid, he didn’t want him to feel like crap because Bucky just did not want to deal with kids right now.

“Hey,” he said with quite resignation. He didn’t actually want to hurt the brat’s feelings, but good lord he was around all the time and had been since Clint and Steve’s mom had reconnected with Steve’s dad after a long separation and divorce and well apparently it had been pretty messy. Bucky didn’t know the details, just the little bits he’d been told and remembered, he’d been friends with Steve since they were six, first day of kindergarten and all that so Steve tended to tell him things.

Steve had been three when his mom and dad gone their own ways and she’d left him with his dad because she knew he’d flourish in a stable setting and his dad had his own mechanic shop and a steady income so he’d be safe and taken care of. His mom had always called and come around when she could showering him with affection each time, Steve knew she loved him, and he loved her, he’s seen her consistently until he was five, and then she started to fade, both in presence and in happiness. 

As it turned out, she’d remarried. Steve and his dad never said anything about that because it was her life, she was allowed to be with who she liked, they only wanted for her happiness.

But something had been wrong in her new life, she had ended up getting pregnant, and once he’d found out he had started to become controlling and manipulative and she hadn’t been able to tell them out of fear for her new child, she wasn’t able to come to them for help, not until about two years ago, when the man had hit Clint. He’d hit Clint hard enough to make him go deaf in one ear. That was the last straw for Sarah, his mom, she’d called them up immediately for help and they’d come.

The first time Steve had met his little brother it had been in a hospital. Steve hated hospitals himself due to some medical issues as a kid, he was better now but it still hurt to see him there because he knew how scary it was and what it meant to be so hurt or sick to have to be there.

He’d come to Bucky that day looking absolutely torn. Steve had always secretly wanted a younger sibling just like Bucky had, who thought he was crazy, but he had two younger sisters so he may have been a little bit jealous of Steve not having to deal with sharing. He loved his sisters of course, but how he longed for not stepping on dolls and ballet slippers in the hall or running out of milk for cereal, yeah, he maybe wouldn’t mind trading one of his sisters for a never ending supply of milk and pancakes. Maybe.

But Steve meeting his baby brother with bruises on his arms and legs, and gauze wrapped around his little blond head, a shade darker than Steve’s. His little body laying on the bed motionless as he slept, a dark bruise on the side of his face. Steve wanted to protect him with all of his heart.

It had turned out that the man, Harold Barton, had started beating her after Clint was born and then also abusing the boy when he was very young, it had taken that hospital trip to kick his mom out of her fear and funk and start fighting back, unfortunately it was still a lengthy court process but now she and Clint were with them. She and Steve’s dad weren’t really together together, but Steve and Clint could both tell it was probably something that could happen, and both boys thought it was great.

Steve’s dad, Joseph, had taken Clint in with open arms and treated him like his own, it was really great. They’d moved in about a year ago. So now at fourteen years of age Steve had a little brother a loving mother who made him a lunch every morning and sent him off with a kiss, even though he was a teenager mom and he was fine, but she would just smile, bright and wonderful like he remembered as a kid and tell him she was just making up for lost time. 

His life was pretty damn great now for them all, and that was what mattered.

“Good,” Clint replied, “We’re learning fractions, and I’m not very good, they always go backwards, I think there’s something wrong with numbers,” he pouted and Steve rubbed his head affectionately.

“I’ll help you later, okay?” he promised and Clint beamed.

“Okay!” he chirped, “Oh, Mom wanted me to tell you she and Joe are gonna go on a daaaate,” he said and giggled, “So we getta have pizza for dinner! She also said James can stay...but he’s gotta call his mom first to ask,” he glanced over at Bucky who tried to smile at the boy and had maybe pulled off something passable, because Clint smiled tentatively back.

“You can call me Bucky, Clint, only my mom calls me James,” he said figuring he was totally being jealous of a nine year old. He was a dumbass. He had been through enough. He would try at least to make him feel better around him.

Clint smiled more, “Okay, Bucky,” he said, “You wanna watch movies with us? Steve lets me watch bad movies,” he said with a positively fiendish grin and Bucky laughed while Steve pretended to look innocent. Okay, the kid wasn’t that bad.

“Yeah, I think I can do that.”

The smile he got was hopefully worth the headache he knew he was going to get later. Clint had a tendency to screech when he laughed. Oh well, at least he was happy.

~

“You think his lip could stick out any further?” Bucky asked amused, looking at the eleven year old with his arms crossed over his chest and his bottom lip stuck out as far as it could go.

“Oh, you should have seen it when Dad said he had to wait another five years before he would be able to get his own license,” Steve replied, slipping into the drivers’ side of the car with a big grin.

“Oh boy,” Bucky laughed, poor kid couldn’t catch a break, his mom came out of the house and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him up against her, holding him close as she waved at them from the porch. 

“Drive safe!” she called.

“I wanna go too!” Clint said one more time, but was instead squeezed by his mother’s arms.

“Next time, champ,” his dad called back, he grinned at Steve, “Alright, son, rev her up,” he said after putting the hood down of Steve’s brand new car, or really refurbished old car that he’d been helping his father build since he was eight.

Steve put the key in the ignition and smiled at his dad when it purred to life, “Beautiful,” Joseph said and then pat the door, “Alright boys take her out for a spin, and be careful, the first motor accidents for teenagers happen-”

“Within three blocks of the home, yeah dad, we know,” Steve said, “And tell Clint he can come on the next loop around-” he looked over at Bucky who punched his leg and gave him a look, he wanted to cruise dammit, they were sixteen year old boys who clearly needed to _cruise_ and look for babes.

“On the third loop,” Steve said with a roll of his eyes, “And we’ll get ice cream,” he said and his dad laughed squeezing his shoulder. Bucky sighed dramatically, but he couldn’t blame his dope of a best friend for doting on his kid brother. But man, a kid totally did not make them more appealing to the sexy people at the mall. Bah.

“Alright, have fun boys,” he said and then walked back to Sarah and Clint and waved as they went around the block.

Clint waved too, albeit still poutily, he hated being left out, but he supposed he could deal, especially if he was going to get ice cream out of it.

~

“Smile graduates!” Sarah cried happily snapping a picture of Steve and Bucky in their gowns and caps before she flung herself at them.

“Mom,” Steve laughed but  caught her with ease and wrapped his arm around her tiny waist, never really realizing that he’d grown so much bigger than her. He was a whole head above her now.

“No! Let me have this! I remember you barely being able to wobble along as a toddler,” she sniffled and Steve shook his head as Bucky laughed. “Oh I miss it!”

“It’s okay, Mrs. Rogers, He still wobbles,” he replied and then was accosted by his own mother after Sarah laughed and smacked his shoulder affectionately.

“Oh you boys, I remember when you first met in kindergarten,” Winny, Bucky’s mom, said with a few fake sniffles, “Some boy was picking on a little girl in pigtails and Steve marches over to him and says ‘don’t you say that to her!’ and then the other boy who had to have been twice Steve’s size pushes him over and my little boy comes rushing to his rescue and punches the boy in the nose,” she shook her head and then put her hand on her face, “But at least you said, ‘I’ll say sorry only after you do!’ at least you had a sense of fairness at a young age,” she said.

“You sayin’ I don’t anymore?” Bucky asked and she pat his cheeks.

“Not last night you sure didn’t. That poor cheesecake,” she sighed mockingly forlorn.

“I left you a piece!” Bucky replied, “And Natasha totally ate two pieces herself.”

“Traitor!” the red headed thirteen year old said with a huff, “You said you wouldn’t tell.”

“Yeah, I lied,” Bucky grinned and ruffled her curls affectionately.

“Shocker,” she huffed as Clint slouched his angsty thirteen year old self over to them. Steve pulled him into a side hug.

“Hey baby brother,” he said and Clint scrunched his nose up.

“’M not a baby, Steve,” he said, but was smiling anyway.

“Yeah yeah,” he said squeezing him, “I’m just glad everyone could come, so what’s the plan?”

“I think a few of the others wanted us to swing by their parties,” Bucky shrugged, “I wouldn’t mind seeing a few of them.”

“Yeah, is that okay?” he turned to the moms.

“I think so, just be back in two hours, your dads will be making more barbecue than we can handle if you take too long, and grandparents will be coming and others,” Sarah said, smiling. “The kids can help with the rest of the set up,” she said.

“Awesome,” Steve said, then squeezed Clint’s shoulder again and let go to take off his cap and gown, Clint reached up to grab them and opened his mouth to ask something then glanced at Bucky and closed his mouth. That seemed to happen a lot.

“You okay Clint?” Steve asked softly and Clint nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine, have fun,” he said offering a small smile, curling his arms around the cap and gown.

Steve smiled back and hugged him, “Thanks squirt,” he said, “See you in a bit.”

Clint nodded and then turned to go back with the mothers and sisters, Steve turned back to Bucky, “Ready to go?”

“Did the squirt want to come?”

“Well can you blame him? He’s going to be surrounded by estrogen the whole ride home,” he said walking towards his car and Bucky followed.

“Aaah, good point, brave man,” Bucky chuckled, “Totally deserves it for stealing the last piece of pizza the other night though.”

Steve rolled his eyes, and laughed throwing his arm around his best friend and marching him away.

~

“You’re...leaving?” Clint asked looking at his brother with big wide blue eyes that were way too pretty for a fifteen year old according to Natasha.

“Yeah, duty calls,” Steve said packing his bags, and totally avoiding the look of hurt he was sure he’d see on his brother’s face.

“But...what about mom and dad? You can’t leave them right? And what about Bucky?” he asked, like giving him reasons to stay would make the war in the middle east suddenly change.

“Bucky is coming too,” Steve said and noted the beat of silence, he glanced back and saw the gritted teeth and hard eyes, “We enlisted together and are headed off to basic training tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Clint said and then stuck his chin out, “Then I’m coming too,” he said and Steve let out a breath.

“Kid...you’re only fifteen you can’t-”

“I could pass for eighteen! I can’t just stay here! I can’t let you go off and-” he pressed his lips together and Steve dropped his stuff to turn and then scoop him up into a hug.

“Hey, hey,” he muttered, “It’s gonna be okay, you gotta stay here, you have to look after mom and dad, okay? I’ll be fine, I promise, you’ll be fine.”

“You can’t promise that!” Clint said, shaking in both anger and upset, “You and Bucky are so dumb!” he cried, “You’re a stupid war movie come to life! Best friends go off to war, one of you is gonna die!”

“Aw, hey, no,” Steve said feeling his heart break a little, because dying was a very real thing that could happen and he wasn’t sure how to reassure his brother that everything would be okay. “Clint...”

Clint pulled back to wipe furiously at his eyes, “No, whatever, go off and be dumb and die, I don’t care!” and with that he fled from the room. 

Steve sighed, twenty years old with a degree in art and off to the military away from his family with his best friend, yeah, Clint was right it was a war movie come to life.

He made a promise to himself, both of them were going to come back, just to prove him wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drop off at the airport was probably the most somber affair for the Barnes and Rogers households in history, Steve and Bucky both were trying to console their respective mothers, and Joseph and George were talking quietly while Natasha and Rebecca, Bucky’s other sister, were joining in on the consoling. 

Meanwhile Clint was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed and eyes glaring at the floor. He was trying desperately to keep it together. He hadn’t spoken to his brother in the last 20 hours, he was too upset, he knew he’d start getting emotional again because he couldn’t do this.

He couldn’t send his big brother off to war.

“Hey,” Clint’s head snapped up to see Bucky standing there, the parents were in the background standing around Steve who was telling them something.

“..hi?” Clint offered, Bucky snorted.

“You really wanna leave it like this kid?” he asked, “I know you love Steve, and I’ll do my damned best to make sure he doesn’t get killed but...”

But. Clint hated that word.

“But he could get shot, after you get shot, yeah, great pep talk,” he snorted derisively and Bucky put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

“Come on Clint, you know you’ll hate yourself if you let him go without talking to him, we’re leaving in like ten minutes.”

Clint took a deep breath and rubbed at his nose to prevent the tears from spilling, “You promise you’re gonna protect him?” he muttered.

“I promise, kid,” Bucky said softly and Clint nodded and sniffed.

“Make sure you don’t get shot either too though...okay?” he said and Bucky’s lips quirked.

“Yeah, I’ll definitely do that,” he said, faintly amused and Clint bobbed his head again, obviously still upset.

“Hey, you know, we’re gonna be at basic training for a little while too, so it won’t be immediate, and we can send letters or e-mails or whatever, here,” Bucky pulled out a pen and then grabbed Clint’s hand and wrote down the address and the email on his palm, “There, contact me and I’ll give you updates,” he said, “Tell you about all the shit Steve gets into, knowing him it’ll be good.”

Clint laughed at that though it was a bit watery, “Okay,” he smiled a little, “I will,” he let out a shake breath then bit his lip and glanced at Steve who was standing off to the side a bit, as if waiting, “Okay,” he muttered again and then pushed off from the wall and headed for his big brother ,he opened his mouth to say something but instead was engulfed in a hug and Clint was trying to hold back tears again, but he buried his face in his brother’s chest and held on for deal life. He would keep it together for now.

There weren’t any words, as the two men departed, Steve gave everyone one last hug, and then went off to the plane, Bucky did the same, he gave one to Clint too, which he found surprising, but was grateful none the less. It was going to be hard, all of it would but they could keep in contact and hope that everything turn out well.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Dear Bucky,_

Clint stared at his computer, and the blinking cursor on it, he had no freaking clue what to say to start off this whole...thing. He’d never really known how to talk to Bucky before. He supposed he could go the easy route.

_How’s Steve? Has he done anything stupid yet? How’s basic training? Is it really as bad as they make it in the movies? Me and Nat were talking about it the other day and she thinks you’re gonna show off, that true?_

Once he got it flowing was pretty easy to just babble and then send it off, at least he sent something off, that would be a good start. He figured, and if Bucky just replied to the first part, that would be fine, at least he’d get something about Steve.

He was surprised when he got a reply the next day.

_Hey Clint,_

_Steve is doing really well, the dumbass has gotten himself promoted already he gets to lead us in everything from calisthenics to the bathroom. So yes he has done something stupid, he’s doing well at basic. As for how that is, it’s nothing like the movies except when it is, getting yelled at is always fun especially when it’s in your face.  
And you can tell Nat she’s the show off not me, she’s a little shit, also tell her I love her._

Clint grinned as he read and the reply went on to answer all of his incessant babble, he never realized Bucky was so funny, he liked his sense of humor. But he also knew he was just doing this to make him feel better. He hated to admit it was working.

~

Clint kept up the correspondence all through the time they were in basic training and kept at it once they were sent out, however, contact was a lot less often. He’d also started talking with Steve too, making sure he was up to date with everything too. How mom and dad were doing and school for Clint, he was doing okay in school, but his brother used to help him a lot, he had dyslexia pretty bad so it made things harder despite him being pretty smart, and without the help it was showing in his school work. 

But Bucky seemed to know how to help with that too when Clint had told him about it, he was able to tell Clint about a few websites that had tips for those kinds of things, Clint was very grateful and they ended up helping him out a lot, raising his grades significantly.

Steve had visited twice for a few days on a short leave as had Bucky but they hadn’t seen each other except to wave through a bus window as they were sent off again, so the most talking Bucky and Clint had ever done with each other was through a screen.

They got to know each other very well through that screen despite not seeing each other’s faces in so long. They got to know each other’s sense’s of humor and tastes in music and movies and the best type of food, they both agreed that pancakes were the best breakfast food for anytime and that pizza was the best food that could be used as breakfast. 

Bucky found that he genuinely enjoyed talking to Clint and looked forward to it every time he saw the little icon that told him he had mail. It ended up getting Steve teasing him because it turned out Bucky talked to Clint more than Steve did, of course Steve had more duties, but still. Steve ended up teasing him about this really becoming a war movie so he better watch himself. Bucky had no idea what the hell he meant by that but carried on talking to Clint, it was nice to have a little something in the dry and depressing desert. He actually had reasons to smile.

Four years of talking and so far things were okay, it was just life for them.

That was until Bucky got hurt, four years after deployment, he got hurt doing exactly what he promised he would, protecting Steve. It was from a roadside bomb he’d thrown himself over Steve protecting his head with his arms. They both survived, however Bucky did suffer from some severe lacerations and shrapnel in his left arm, he had been more than ready to go back out and watch Steve’s back, but he was told his arm would need some intense and extensive therapy in order to have a full recovery which couldn’t happen on the front lines, so he was sent back with a purple heart and a promise from Steve he would be fine. Captain Rogers was more than ready to get back at those who had set the bomb in the first place.

So, Bucky went home, twenty-four and fresh from war and not feeling like he’d really made much of a difference for his nation, but at least he had kept his promise to Clint.

~

Bucky walked down the block, he’d got off the bus, dufflebag in his good hand while the other was in a sling under his coat strapped to his chest, it just so happened that he lived at the end of the block in the col-de-sac that happened to be the same street Steve’s folks lived on. It had made childhood sleepovers very easy for them.

He was just turning down their street from the main road when he spotted someone in their drive way curled over the engine of a car on blocks, at first Bucky thought it was Mr. Rogers, as that would make sense, he was a mechanic, but when he got closer he could see that it most certainly was not.

The man stood straight and Bucky saw the sweat glistening over a broad back, his skin couldn’t help but be described as sunkissed, his hair was highlighted by the sun too, several shades of blond messily flopped over his head like he forgot to comb it in the morning, his arms though, holy shit those arms, as if they were molded out of clay by a master sculptor's hands.

He was really something else from the back, it made Bucky wonder what he looked like from the front, he didn’t realize he’d just been standing there staring until the man turned around and saw him.

Bright blue eyes way too pretty for a kid, but absolutely gorgeous on a man, toned chest and a definite six pack.

“Bucky?” the man said, and Bucky gaped at the nineteen year old.

“Clint?” he replied, “Holy shit, you’ve...you’ve grown up!”

“Well, yeah, that’s what happens after four years,” Clint laughed and wiped his hands off on a cloth and came over to him giving him a quick hug, “What are you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming home!”

“Yeah well, it wasn’t exactly planned,” he said dropping his bag to return the embrace and then gesture at his arm.

“Ah shit man, are you okay?” Clint asked looking at the sling with concern.

“I will be, but...it was bad enough to get me sent home...got me a fancy purple heart even,” he said gesturing to it pinned on his chest.

“Impressive,” Clint drawled but then took a bit of a somber look, “But really...are you okay? And Steve?”

Bucky smiled, “He’s fine, I made sure,” he said gesturing at his arm again, and Clint looked down at it and then back at his face.

“Oh,” Clint said, swallowing, “You...okay...are you gonna be okay?” he asked, his hands fluttering about in worry.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Bucky said his lips quirking, a little touched by his concern, “I really think I will.”

“Okay, so...” Clint smiled, “I’m really glad you’re back,” he said, “Was worried when you guys were over there...I...” he frowned and Bucky knew this was coming.

“He’s not with me,” he muttered, “Sorry...I would have stayed to-”

“No, Bucky, no, god you’ve already done so much for me and for him and mom and dad, you don’t have to- no,” he sighed, and then grabbed Bucky’s bag, “You’ve already done more for me than you ever promised, okay?”

“I have?” Bucky arched an eyebrow.

Clint smiled, “Yeah...you helped me so much with those emails, you don’t even know how much they helped...just knowing that there was some little thing that connected me with Steve and you...” he shrugged and rubbed the back of his head, “So...thank you.”

Bucky blinked in surprised but smiled, “Well...you’re welcome...I guess, you gonna be a gentleman and carry my bag?”

“Not like I can let you do it, you might hurt yourself again,” Clint teased and Bucky laughed and was more than happy to let Clint lead him into the house.

Clint got him some tea, and they talked, Bucky decompressed and felt a lot better than he had in a really long time, and then of course he saw the clock, “Holy shit, I need to get home,” he said, “And where are you parents?”

“Oh, they’re ‘out for the weekend’, lovestruck losers,” he said but he was smiling and still utterly fond of his mom and stepdad’s romance after this time. He was convinced his parents were soulmates and why his mom had left in the first place he didn’t really know, he’d asked when he was little, and she’d said it was complicated, and he didn’t ask now for the sake of her privacy.

“Cute,” Bucky laughed, “But I really do need go home,” he said, “I want to see my folks and the girls.”

“Yeah- no,” Clint said and Bucky stopped and stared at Clint, what exactly was this kid saying?

“What?”

“No, I mean you should make it a surprise!” he said grinning like a little devil, “You should do it like in those returning videos, I could totally help you plan it, Nat comes over all the time still, she’s working you know, to get money to go to dance school and all that so she likes to come bug me a few times a week between classes...Becks...she’s around at least once a month and it just so happens that she’s supposed to come by tomorrow for lunch with your parents so...if we plan it it should be good, everyone will cry,” he shrugged, “How’s that sound?”

Bucky arched an eyebrow and then laughed, “Sure, why the hell not? You know this means that it gives Steve every right to do the same to you when he comes back,” he replied and Clint scowled.

“Bah, okay fine, you can sure as hell try, but now I’m gonna be suspicious. So what’dya say? Wanna stay the night then jump ‘em tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sounds like fun,” he laughed, “So do I sleep on the couch cushions like good old days?”

“Naw, you can have Steve’s bed,” he said, “Mom still keeps the sheets clean,” he shrugged, “So...yeah, it should be fun, I’ll invite everyone over for dinner and then like there can be an extra seat or something and you can slip in and be all ‘what’re we having?’ and then they’ll freak out and hug you, it’ll be good.” 

Bucky rolled his eyes, “Fine fine...what will we be having? Can you even cook?” he asked skeptically.

“Haahaha, so funny, and yes, as a matter of fact, I can,” he grinned, “And you’ll find out tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” he agreed and then yawned, “I’m pretty beat, think I can take a shower and then crash?”

“Of course, shower, do whatever you need to,” Clint smiled and Bucky couldn’t help but smile back.

He got up and did exactly that, however he had needed a bit of help with his arm as it hurt like a bitch every time he moved it and his pain meds were not the strong kind. Clint helped him as much as he could but did so quickly and then left him to his own devices.

Bucky was really too tired to think on it, after his shower and another pill, the stronger kind, he passed out minutes later.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bucky woke up to the smell of pancakes the next morning.

He couldn’t remember the last time that had happened not since he was a teenager which seemed like a lifetime ago now, but it was nice all the same, he rolled out of bed and massaged some of his sore muscles then got up and shuffled to the kitchen.

He saw Clint at the stove, once again without a shirt and what was up with that? His hair all sleep ruffled and why was Bucky noticing all of this? It was...well..it was his best friend’s annoying kid brother...right?

“Hey,” he said to stop his mind from wandering and Clint turned around and smiled brightly at him.

“Hey, ready for some pancakes? I remember you saying how they were your favorite,” he grinned, “Sit, they’re almost done.”

“They still are,” Bucky laughed, and sat down happily, feeling pretty damn good now, better than he ever had. He knew Steve would be fine for a few months he’d been pulled back after the bomb, he was fine, of course but still. He was fine.

The whole day was fine really, Clint called the Barnes’ and invited them over for dinner which apparently wasn’t a new thing, they did it every other month or so, so it really wasn’t a surprise for them.

What was the surprise was Bucky doing exactly as Clint had suggested and just popping in while they were looking at Clint, he did so, sitting down in the empty spot and then pipping up with a happy question of what they were having.

“Bucky!” his sisters cried in unison and threw themselves at him, hugging him tightly while his mother and father gasped in surprise and very nearly upended the table, they rushed him and there were many hugs until he was hurt by his arm.

“Oh honey, what happened?” his mother asked fretting.

“Nothing much, just saved Steve’s stupid ass again, no worries,” he replied flippantly. 

“That’s nothing new,” Natasha said, “You always had a thing for saving his ass.” 

“Can you blame me, he gets into more trouble than he can handle,” Bucky grinned.

“That’s true,” Clint said serving the chicken Marsala he’d made to perfection, everyone turned to him.

“Youuu,” Natasha pointed at him, as if she’d forgotten he was there, “You little shit, you planned this!”

“Yeah, totally worth it too,” he beamed, “I just wish I’d caught that on camera, but I think that might have been suspicious.”

“You are a _sneaky_ little shit Clint, you’re lucky we love you,” Becca said, taking a bite of food daintily, mostly for effect.

“You mean you love my food,” he replied with a grin.

“Oh, well that too, yes,” she replied sweetly.

Bucky laughed and his heart swelled at how great everyone was getting along, he was glad they hadn't been alone while he and Steve were gon, and Clint was just so happy to see everyone else happy, and it was really something to see them all so happy.

He knew it wouldn’t be a complete happiness without Steve, but he only was going to be there for another year, and then he was going to go to his art. Everything would be okay.

They spent the night talking and reliving memories and catching Bucky up on things he didn't really know the details about, like how Clint was probably going to take over the family business, and Becca was on her way to getting a promotion, she could be the district manager even, it was all very exciting and Bucky hadn't smiled this much in a long time, and he didn’t have to think about his arm or PTSD or anything once all night. It was really something else. Coming home. He'd never dreamed that coming home would feel this good.

Once everyone was ready to go and the food was gone and the dishes were washed, and the coffee and dessert were in full bellies, the Barnes' started heading home. Bucky was going home with them of course, and he felt a little...sad about that for some reason, but he would let it go, he still had to say thanks to Clint for everything.

He stepped up next to him on the porch, “Hey brat,” he said and Clint barked out a laugh.

“Wow,” he said and shook his head, “You know...I thought you hated me when we were younger because of that...you’d call me that, but not all the time...only sometimes, like when you were annoyed with me...but I think I get now that you just didn't really know how to act around me.”

Bucky laughed, “Wow...I guess...I never really...thought about that,” he said, “You know...I mean yeah, I guess I thought you were annoying, but I thought my sisters were annoying too, so...it wasn’t personal, shit, I was kind of an ass to you huh? I’m sorry about that.”

Clint smiled, “I figured as much later...you know...when you and Steve were deployed and...and we started the emails? I...well...I guess...I felt differently too, I was really grateful and then realized if you actually didn’t like me, you wouldn’t have done that right? You wouldn't have spent your spare time writing to me if you really didn't like me, and I mean we talked a lot. I told you a lot of shit I don't think even Nat knows about and she's my best friend so...yeah,” he shrugged a shoulder, “It really helped me out, and you're home now. It all worked out.”

Bucky looked at him, “You know...I think that's true for me too...I think I might know more about you than I do about Steve...and well...you probably know more about me than he does too...you’re a really neat kid- no...you’re a really neat guy, and funny too, that was a shock,” he teased.

“Hurr,” Clint rolled his eyes, “Well thanks, you’re not half bad yourself,” he replied, his lips twitching slightly.

“And well...it turns out...I like you a lot,” he smiled and Clint turned to look at him completely and smiled back, but his eyes were guarded perhaps.

“Yeah...you’re a good guy Bucky...a good friend,” Clint said and he said it like that was not what he wanted to say, like it was forced out of his mouth and Bucky was pretty sure he was an idiot. Because how had he just now realized this?

“Yeah, I think so...good friend...but...” Bucky licked his lips because he really hoped he was reading into this right and that his fast beating heart didn’t pop out of his chest, he wrapped his good arm around the back of Clint’s neck and then pulled him forward, Clint’s eyes widened and then Bucky’s lips were on his and wow.

The kiss lasted for forever and for about twenty seconds all at the same time.

Bucky released him and Clint stared at him wide eyed, like he couldn't believe that had happened.

“Whoa...that was better than every fantasy I ever cooked up,” he breathed and Bucky burst into laughter, unable to help himself because he hadn't expected that, but it was still a good response. At least he knew he was wanted. That just made him want to laugh again in joy.

“Oh, shut up Barnes, as if you could do better!” Clint huffed, flushing a bit but he was still looking pleased, which was a total rub for Bucky's ego.

“I could you know...on a proper date,” he said and Clint stared at him, his eyes wider than before and big and blue and completely breathtaking.

“R-really?” he asked, voice soft and unsure. Bucky huffed out a soft laugh.

“Yeah...really,” he said, “I...it turns out I really like you, better than just a friend, and it took me just now to realize it,” he replied then made a face, “Goddammit your brother was a little shit, he knew...he totally knew before I did,” he laughed, “He said we would really make it like a war movie...”

“Oh my god. What a fucking dick,” Clint said his eyes wide, “He’s so lucky I love him.”

“Right?” Bucky agreed with a laugh, "We can get him back later."

“Oh, he is definitely going to get shit when he comes back,” Clint said fiercely, but softened a moment later, he bit his lip, “So...that date..?”

“Yeah,” Bucky grinned again and pulled him in for another quick kiss, “That date. We’ll make it happen. I think that's the only mission I have left at this point.”

Clint grinned and leaned forward and pecked his lips again, “You're a dork, but I’m really glad you’re home, Bucky.”

“Me too, Clint...” he agreed, and with one last kiss he left to go home with his family, but he would be back. So many more times, he would be back and eventually, he'd never leave.

~

“...so these two buttheads had to wait until a war came along before they got their heads out of their butts and talked to each other and realized they were perfect for each other,” Steve gestured at Bucky and Clint who were across the table from him at the Thanksgiving gathering of the Barnes-Rogers and extended clan.

“Oh I do love how eloquently you tell this story, darling,” Peggy, Steve’s wife said with a laugh, rubbing her obviously pregnant belly absentmindedly.

“I try my best,” Steve replied, pecking her on the cheek.

“He tells it the quick way, he knows it was way more romantic than that,” Bucky huffed, his fingers securely entwined with Clint’s under the table, his thumb brushed over his wedding band, the one that had been on his finger for three years now.

“You mean he knows you’re a bit thick skulled and it took you seeing me glistening with sweat under the sun bent over a car being a sexy mechanic to realize I was worthy of your love,” Clint purred and laughed when Bucky elbowed him in the ribs gently, but kissed him to make up for it, even if Clint was still laughing into the kiss.

“You’re both impossible,” Steve laughed, “Poor Clint angsty thirteen year old crushing on big brother’s best friend, so romantic, I'll be honest it took me a bit to get it myself, he was never very obvious about it, but once I knew, oh it was so cute,” Steve grinned, eyes glittering with mischief while his wife hid her giggles behind her hand.

“It is pretty adorable, sweetheart,” Sarah grinned, and the other parents there agreed with hoots and hollers from the kitchen and they had most definitely had too much wine, Bucky looked at the counter, yup, there were four bottles on there. Oh boy.

“Mom, you are totally not helping,” Clint groaned and Bucky laughed and kissed Clint on the cheek, he loved kissing him, he would never grow tired of it.

“You are adorable,” he grinned, and Clint pecked his lips, back, eyes alight with pure joy.

“You are so going to get it when we get home,” he replied sweetly.

“Oooh, can’t wait,” Bucky murmured kissing him again, this time slipping a hand up into his hair and holding him there for as long as he could, Clint's hand pressed agaisnt his chest to feel his heartbeat, god he would give this up for nothing. 

“Ewww! Unc’a Buckee and Unc’a C’int kissing!” a young voice chimed in, and it was quickly followed by a chorus of ewws, both adult and child. Peggy and Steve’s three year old little girl and Becca and her husband’s five year old boy, they were pretty cute little devils, they fit in perfectly with the rest of the family.

Bucky laughed when they pulled back and smiled at him, he cupped his cheek and looked at him like he’d hung the moon and Clint felt like with Bucky’s support he just might be able to do that. He leaned over and kissed him again, this was the best thing ever in life and Bucky was only thirty and Clint was twenty-five, they had their whole lives ahead of them. He smiled into the kiss when there was another chorus of ‘ewws’, mostly adult this time. Maybe they would consider adoption in the future too...kids seemed to be the better option at the moment, even if they were giggling behind their little hands and their family was watching with fondness and love.

They both felt it, this was the best place to be, surrounded by family and love and happiness and complete joy. Everyone home, safe and happy.

No man left behind.


End file.
